How to Freeze Spinach

Learning how to freeze spinach is easy, and a skill definitely worth knowing.

Frozen spinach is something I often use for cooking mainly because of the convenience factor.

This method of freezing will work for other leafy greens as well.

Spinach is an incredibly versatile and nutritious green leafy wonder. 

It should definitely be on everyone’s list.

Why Freeze Spinach?

Growing your own spinach can be easy, and fun, and usually abundant with a big bounty.

A great way of keeping and storing your fresh spinach from the garden for a later date is by freezing it. 

Freezing also allows you to keep prepared spinach for a longer period of time.

You can prepare it either as chopped or whole leaves, depending on what you will be doing with it.

Any food preparation in advance will be benefited from freezing fresh spinach leaves for later use. 

Simply portion spinach into freezer bags and keep it frozen until you need to use it.  

How To Freeze Spinach

When storing spinach for longer periods it is often best to blanch the spinach first.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil.

Briefly dip the raw leaves in boiling water.

They will instantly wilt, remove spinach right away and place it in a large bowl of ice water.

Remove from the cold water and dry on paper towels, or use a salad spinner to extract any excess water.

If you are freezing fresh spinach for a matter of a few weeks, you can freeze without blanching. 

Once the leaves are free of any excess liquid place them in freezer bags.

Make sure to squeeze out all the air to help avoid the spinach getting freezer burn. 

Place in the freezer and allow the spinach to freeze.

Another method is to chop up the spinach into small bits.

Place the chopped spinach in ice cube trays and freeze with a bit of water.

Spinach cubes are great for adding to smoothies!

If using for other things, pour the cubes of spinach out of the ice tray.

Thaw the spinach in a bowl, squeeze out excess water, and use.

Is Frozen Spinach Flavorful?

Yes, frozen spinach retains its flavor quite well.

Of course once frozen and thawed you would need to use it in cooking because it will not look like its fresh self after freezing.

For salads and things where a fresh flavor is important I would not recommend freezing.

Not because of the flavor, but because of the look of the spinach after freezing. 

In cooked dishes or for smoothies, the flavor aspect is no problem at all.

How Long Can You Freeze Spinach For?

This will all depend on the storage conditions of your spinach.

Generally food is frozen at 0ºF (-18ºC).

At this temperature if constantly frozen your spinach could last indefinitely as long as the packaging remains intact.

Spinach will be at its best for up to 12 months when stored at the correct temperatures in a deep freeze.

Eating frozen spinach beyond its sell by date is not a problem.

The sell by date is the manufacturer’s way of letting you know the date at which the spinach is no longer at its peak.

If you notice the spinach changing color, or that freezer burn is starting to take hold, then these are signs that your spinach is no longer at its freshest.

Health Benefits of Spinach

I always remember watching Popeye on TV as a kid and of course being impressed by how strong Popeye got when he ate spinach.

Obviously it was a cartoon but I knew that there must be some truth to this whole spinach thing.

How right my assumption was!

Spinach is truly a superfood with so many benefits, especially if you eat it fresh or after being fresh frozen.

In some ways frozen can be better for you since it holds its nutrition, and fresh left to sit will lose some vitamins and folate.

Spinach is so easy to include in your diet, whether breakfast lunch or dinner, these leaves go a long way.

Spinach is bursting with nutrition, like vitamin K, iron and calcium, for such a low cost food.

And let’s not forget the vitamin C, and A along with folic acid!

These green leaves contain all kinds of plant compounds which can help with eye health, can prevent cancer, and can control blood pressure.

What To Make With Frozen Spinach

One of my favorite things to make with spinach are spinach turnovers that are popular in the Middle East.

These pies require chopped spinach for the filling.

Therefore, I chop my leaves before I freeze so I can easily use it later for making the filling.

Frozen spinach is perfect for making soups, smoothies, quiches, and even lasagna.

Cooked with eggs for breakfast, or on their own with added onions and garlic is lovely.

Spinach is a fantastic choice for anyone on a keto diet since it’s almost impossible to eat too much of it.